HSFAhttps://www.hsfamerica.org
Every American has the right to be a patriot.Fri, 05 Jun 2020 16:35:40 +0000en-US
hourly
1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.1https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.110.90/e43.66b.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/HSFA_Seal-2013_blackandwhite-150x150.jpgHSFAhttps://www.hsfamerica.org
3232A message on recent national eventshttps://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/06/a-message-on-recent-national-events/
https://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/06/a-message-on-recent-national-events/#respondMon, 01 Jun 2020 08:09:54 +0000https://www.hsfamerica.org/?p=3012To the HSFA team and my fellow Americans, It is with deep sorrow that I write today to acknowledge the grief and hurt many of Read More ...

It is with deep sorrow that I write today to acknowledge the grief and hurt many of us are grappling with. The anguish from the unnecessary deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others who died tragically and violently as a result of contact with police officers or vigilantes is far more than we should be willing to tolerate. Our hearts and prayers are with all the victims and their families, and we are so sorry for your losses.

Last Monday’s senseless killing of George Floyd while in police custody has hit home for so many Americans. We see this clearly as demonstrations continue around the country. While we at HSFA unequivocally support the rights of Americans to protest, it is imperative they demonstrate peacefully as they exercise their First Amendment rights. HSFA does not condone the violent, unlawful actions of the few agitators who threaten public order and safety at otherwise peaceful protests. We are not just citizens—we are American citizens — and we have to walk a higher path, rooted in a highly ethical moral code.

It is equally important that our partners in law enforcement protect law-abiding citizens’ rights and provide a safe environment for them to protest, free from outside instigators and provocateurs. We offer our strongest support to those police officers and chiefs who have publicly spoken out against the actions of those involved in and those who support the actions that led to George Floyd’s death. Law enforcement officers who serve and protect our public safety have to walk an even higher path than the average citizen. You are not simply police officers—you are American police officers. I implore you to work harder to maintain hometown security while honoring and preserving individual American civil liberties.

I am a son, a brother, and a dad—so was George Floyd. His repeated yet ignored pleas of “I can’t breathe” and the pleas of several anguished bystanders fell on deaf ears. This failure to acknowledge Floyd’s suffering is representative of the failures of America to acknowledge the suffering and pleas of minorities for centuries—pleas for basic respect, dignity, and equality under the eyes of the law.

The time is now for constructive police reform that includes:

Police departments nationwide evaluating their “use-of-force” policies to ensure they are fair and equitable and guided by the Fourth Amendment from the top down;

Police officers enforcing the law without prejudice and following the law themselves;

Training police officers with tactics designed to police our domestic population and preserve American civil liberties versus training that involves foreign military tactics; and

Community police officers living in and taking pride in the communities they work in.

I believe wholeheartedly that constructive police reform should be supported by citizen reform in ways that include:

ALL Americans practicing having more empathy for others’ circumstances and suffering;

Americans helping more through charitable giving and acts of kindness; and

Citizens partnering with police in the community and taking pride in their responsibility to be aware and help maintain hometown security.

As we continue to be separated by a global pandemic, now is the time that we need to cling to our humanity. We cannot fall for divisive, self-serving politics. We must bring our hearts and minds together to address inequality and build a brighter future for our children. If we work together, we will not fail.

It is my sincerest hope that we all find less hate in our hearts today and recognize the extraordinary benefits of healing our nation’s wounds and uniting as a people to establish a more just and inclusive American society for all. My final plea is that as the COVID-19 global pandemic continues, you remain safe. Take care of yourselves, your families, and our country.

]]>https://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/06/a-message-on-recent-national-events/feed/0Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparednesshttps://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/04/coronavirus-covid-19-preparedness/
https://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/04/coronavirus-covid-19-preparedness/#respondTue, 07 Apr 2020 00:41:03 +0000https://www.hsfamerica.org/?p=2992The following links and resources are available to help you prepare and respond to the current Cornavirus (COVID-19) emergency. This interim guidance is based on Read More ...

]]>https://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/04/coronavirus-covid-19-preparedness/feed/0New Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – A Global Challenge for Public Healthhttps://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/03/new-coronavirus-disease-covid-19-a-global-challenge-for-public-health/
https://www.hsfamerica.org/2020/03/new-coronavirus-disease-covid-19-a-global-challenge-for-public-health/#respondWed, 18 Mar 2020 21:26:34 +0000https://www.hsfamerica.org/?p=2975By Insha Qari In late December 2019, several local health facilities reported clusters of patients with pneumonia of unknown causes that were epidemiologically linked to Read More ...

In late December 2019, several local health facilities reported clusters of patients with pneumonia of unknown causes that were epidemiologically linked to a seafood and wet animal wholesale market in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, central China. The disease subsequently spread to all provinces of China and 164 countries and territories around the globe. Among the deaths in Wuhan, the noted victims of the virus include the Chinese doctor who tried to warn about the spread of “SARS-like” virus, Li Wenliang, as well as Liu Zhiming, the hospital director.

Coronavirus

Figure 1. Illustration of a SARS-CoV-2 virion (Credit CDC).

The name coronavirus comes from the Latin word corona, meaning crown or ring of light referring to the shape of the virus under an electron microscope. Coronaviruses have crown-like spikes on their surface (Figure 1.). These spikes are viral glycoproteins required for attachment at the host cell surface. Once attached, the viral membrane can fuse itself to the cell membrane, gaining entry and starting the infection. Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses having positive-sense single-stranded RNA of approximately 30,000 bases in length. These viruses are distributed broadly among humans, animals (including camels, cats, and bats) and birds causing respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurologic diseases.

Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s. Seven coronaviruses can infect people. Four viruses 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1 are prevalent and typically cause common cold symptoms in people. The two other strains Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been linked to severe pneumonia and bronchiolitis, and sometimes fatal illness. The cause of the current outbreak is the new 7th coronavirus, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), previously called the 2019 novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). This is the origin of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, that the World Health Organization officially designated as Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The disease was designated a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO like polio in 2014, Ebola in 2014, Zika in 2016 and Ebola again in 2019. On March 11, 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 pandemic, raising the health emergency to its highest level. At that time there were about 118,000 COVID-19 cases in 115 countries, and 4,291 deaths. In the last pandemic in 2009, the H1N1 influenza “swine flu” is estimated to have killed 151,700 – 575,400 people around the globe during the first year of virus circulation (Dawood et al., Lancet Infect Dis 2012;12: 687–95)

Zoonotic originCoronaviruses are transmitted between animals and people. The MERS-CoV transmitted from bats to humans through camels in Saudi Arabia in 2012. This pathogen was responsible for severe respiratory disease outbreaks in 2012 in the Middle East. There were about 2,494 cases of MERS in 27 countries including 2 US cases, with about 858 deaths (WHO, Nov 2019). The fatality rate was more than 34.4%.

The SARS-CoV transmitted from horseshoe bats to humans through civet cats in China in 2002. It was the agent responsible for the SARS outbreaks in 2002 and 2003 in Guangdong Province, China. SARS infected 8,098 people, including 27 in the US, resulting in 774 deaths reported in 17 countries. The fatality rate was less than 10%.

The SARS-CoV-2 genome is about 96% identical to a bat coronavirus indicating that it may have originated in bats. A group of researchers found a coronavirus in smuggled pangolins that was a 99% genetic match to the SARS-CoV-2 circulating in people. In parts of China Pangolin meat is a delicacy and its scales are used in traditional medicine. It is suspected that SARS-CoV-2 may have transmitted from bat to humans through pangolins. Most of the early COVID-19 cases had contact history with the original seafood market; however, the disease has now progressed by human-to-human transmission. Globally, about 3.5% of reported COVID-19 cases have died. By comparison, the seasonal flu fatality rate in the US during 2018-19 influenza season was about 0.1% (more than 35.5 million illnesses, 34,200 deaths).

Symptoms The SARS-CoV-2 infects the epithelial cells within the lungs causing mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, multiple organ failure, and even death. Fever may not be present in some patients. Because of the similarities of these symptoms with other related diseases, laboratory tests are required to confirm if someone has SARS-CoV-2. Current estimates of the time between infection and the onset of clinical symptoms of the disease range from 1-14 days. Most infected people show symptoms within five to six days, but there have also been cases where patients were asymptomatic despite having the virus in their system. People who are older or have existing medical conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes may be at higher risk of serious illness. According to the WHO’s recommendations, individuals who have been in contact with confirmed coronavirus patients should be monitored for 14 days.

Morbidity and mortality The SARS-CoV-2 infection status across the globe continues to change quickly and morbidity and mortality reports presented in this article will be outdated soon. As of March 17, 2020, the coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 164 countries and territories around the world and one cruise ship. There were total 197,467 cases reported of which 81,691 have recovered and 7,953 died. Most of the affected countries include China (3,226 deaths out of 80,881 total cases), Italy (2,503 out of 31,506), Iran (988 out of 16,169), and Spain (533 out of 11,748). The first infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the United States was reported on January 21, 2020, and so far, there have been 6,084 cases and 101 deaths. These include imported cases in travelers, cases among close contacts of a known case, and community-acquired cases where the source of the infection is unknown. The current count of cases of infection in the United States is available on the designated website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The country-wise current number of new cases, total cases, new deaths, total deaths, active cases, total recovered cases, and serious cases are available at https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.

Prevention SARS-CoV-2 can spread from one person to another, most likely through droplets of saliva or mucus carried in the air for up to 6 feet or so when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Viral particles may be breathed in or land on surfaces that then people touch and transfer the virus further with shaking hands or touching other objects.

There is currently no approved vaccines to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2. Scientists around the globe are racing to develop a vaccine, which will then be tested in trials. A vaccine called mRNA-1273 developed by NIAID scientists and their collaborators at the biotechnology company Moderna, Inc. in Massachusetts is currently being tested on volunteers. It could be some time before a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection is ready. COVID-19 is a viral disease, therefore antibiotics cannot be used as a means of prevention or treatment. At present, there is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for COVID-19 Management of COVID-19 has mainly focused on infection prevention, case detection and monitoring, and supportive care, such as medicine to reduce fever, supplemental oxygen, or respirator for critically ill patients.

However, a potential drug target has been identified in a newly mapped protein of SARS-CoV-2 called Nsp15. This protein is essential in its lifecycle and virulence. The protein is conserved among coronaviruses and is about 89% identical to that of SARS-CoV. The studies in 2010 with SARS-CoV revealed that inhibition of Nsp15 can slow viral replication. This suggests that drugs designed to target Nsp15 could be developed as effective drugs against COVID-19. The scientists also suggest that drugs in development to treat the earlier SARS outbreak could now be developed as effective drugs against COVID-19.

Although the path to drug development is still underway, there are other ways to combat the virus in the meantime. Coronavirus is an enveloped virus, meaning it is one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate disinfectant products. The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a long list of disinfectants for use against COVID-19.

The best ways to prevent COVID-19 are to avoid being exposed to this virus and practicing personal hygiene. People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Therefore, it is important to wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to remove germs. If soap and water are not readily available, any alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be used. The virus from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like door handles, elevator buttons, handrails, tabletops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands. SARS-CoV-2 may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days depending on type of surface and temperature or humidity of the environment. The virus was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, on copper up to four hours, on cardboard up to 24 hours, and on plastic and stainless steel up to two to three days. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe can kill the virus making it no longer possible to infect people. Additional healthy practices include avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, covering cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash.

CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. However, people who show symptoms of COVID-19 should use facemask to prevent the spread of the disease to others. The health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility) are also required to use facemasks.

Community-based interventions such as school dismissals, event cancellations, social distancing, and working remotely can help slow the spread of COVID-19. Based on the scope of the outbreak and the severity of illness, local and state officials, in consultation with federal officials when appropriate, make the decisions about the implementation of community measures. Extensive community engagement and clear public health communications are required for the implementation of such measures.

Clinical isolation and quarantine remain the most effective means to prevent the spread of this virus. People should call their healthcare professional if they think may have been exposed to COVID-19, develop symptoms, have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or if they live in or have recently traveled to an area with the ongoing spread. The healthcare professionals work with the state’s public health department and CDC to determine if the patient needs to be tested for COVID-19. For COVID-19 patients, the CDC has provided specific guidance about prevention of further spread of the disease that include staying home except to get medical care, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning hands often, avoiding sharing personal household items, cleaning all “high-touch” surfaces every day, monitoring symptoms, and discontinuing home isolation in consultation with healthcare providers.

Detection Nucleic acid testing of patient samples e.g., saliva, or nasal, oral swabs is the “gold standard” for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The test is conducted using a kit for Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) to look for tiny sections of the RNA of the virus. However, these tests cannot identify people who went through an infection, recovered, and cleared the virus from their bodies. Serology testing, on the other hand, looks for the previous and recent infections by detecting in blood the antibodies (IgG, IgM) that the body has produced to fight the SARS-CoV-2. It can take about a week before the body produces ample antibodies. Serological testing is vital for surveillance and investigational purposes. A serological test can detect antibodies even if a patient has recovered, whereas a PCR test can detect the virus only if the person is currently sick.

Conclusions In less than 20 years, SARS-CoV-2 is the third coronavirus that has crossed species to infect human populations. Several other known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. Novel coronaviruses will likely emerge periodically in humans due to increasing human-animal interface activities, cross-species infections and the genomic recombination within coronaviruses. To ensure a rapid and successful response in the future, there is a need to improve surveillance around the globe for timely identification of any emerging and reemerging pathogens, enhance the capabilities to quickly develop and manufacture new diagnostic kits and medical countermeasures, strengthen healthcare systems to treat a large number of patients in an epidemic, and strengthen the International Health Regulations to ensure that outbreaks are identified and stopped at their source. COVID-19 is an emerging disease and there is more to learn about its transmissibility, severity, and other features. Meanwhile, staying informed from reputable sources like the CDC and WHO, practicing personal hygiene, and developing healthy habits are easy and effective ways to prevent infection with the known and unknown pathogens.

Note: This article has been compiled using the information available at reliable sources like CDC, WHO, NIH, Peer-reviewed scientific articles etc.

About the Author

Insha Qari

Insha Qari is currently enrolled at the School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco and serves as a member of theHomeland Security Foundation of America Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee.

Many people think that human trafficking means kidnapping and moving victims across state or national borders.

After working with human trafficking victims as a

forensic nurse and now while teaching at Texas A&M University’s College of Nursing, I know that this often is not the case.

I have found that many perpetrators find, entice and sell their victims right in their own backyards.

Victims are often hidden in plain sight, leading everyone from police to health professionals to miss clues to their plight and vastly underestimate the scope and economics of human trafficking.

My colleagues and I once missed one of those victims. That led us to change the way we work.

Becoming aware

As the manager of a busy, urban forensic nursing program for 16 years, I oversaw the care and treatment of thousands of children annually who were suspected of being abused. I thought I understood the many intricacies of child abuse.

I was proven wrong when a Texas Child Protective Services caseworker told me we failed to identify a victim of human trafficking.

After taking a deep breath, I begged him to share what we missed and how we could improve the lives of these vulnerable and traumatized children.

The program in which I was then working consisted of extremely experienced and highly trained registered nurses who specialized in the care and treatment of children suspected of being sexually or physically abused or neglected.

We worked with children from over 20 Texas counties. Each nurse on the team routinely saw 200 children or more per year. We were one of the most experienced pediatric forensic nursing team in the state, with one of the best child abuse pediatricians as our medical director.

If we could miss the subtle signs of human trafficking, anyone could.

Trading in humans

Here is what happened: One of our expert forensic nurses examined “Zena,” a very young teenage girl who was sexually assaulted by two men.

The nurse provided care, collected evidence and discharged Zena, sending her home with a parent. This forensic nurse made all of the mandated reports to Child Protective Services and law enforcement.

Several months later, Zena was back in our emergency department, accompanied by law enforcement and CPS. After they rescued Zena from a room where she was to perform sex acts on several adult men, she was identified as a victim of human trafficking.

Human trafficking, according to scholars Noël Bridget Busch-Armendariz, Maura Nsonwu and Laurie Cook Heffron, “includes the victimization of adults and children in the commercial sex industry and forced labor.”

Trafficking’s definition under federal law also includes the “recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing or soliciting a child under 18 years of age for the purpose of a commercial sex act.”

Sex traffickers, formerly known as “pimps,” use violence, or the threat of violence, lies and coercion to lure victims, especially children, into the commercial sex industry.

A training program for flight attendants at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, drawing attention to sex trafficking. Reuters/Brian Snyder

The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 made the trafficking of persons a federal crime. The legislation enabled states to prosecute traffickers, buyers of sex – “johns” – and those who profit from the crime of trafficking, including businesses or people who facilitate the illegal process.

Men, women and children can be trafficked. But children are especially vulnerable, with those who run away or are thrown out of their home especially at risk.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a private, nonprofit group supported in part by the federal government, received more than 25,000 runaway reports in 2017 and estimate 3,500 were “likely victims of child sex trafficking.”

Eyes opened

When I asked my CPS caseworker and friend to explain how we could have identified Zena on her first visit to our emergency department, he answered, “You should have asked how she met those two men.”

It turns out that Zena’s mother sold her.

If the forensic nurse would have asked her specifically how she met the men, I believe Zena would have shared her story.

The atrocities done to Zena shook our team to the core, but we felt we could learn from this and work to identify any future victims. We decided to educate ourselves.

We worked with our medical director and attended conferences and meetings with law enforcement, CPS, federal and state prosecutors, and nonprofit organizations.

The training worked: In the years before Zena, I cannot recall any trafficking victims who were identified by our team. The year after Zena, we saw 14 children suspected of, or identified as, trafficking victims.

Since then, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott created a child sex trafficking team within his office. Our forensic team was invited to assist the governor’s child sex trafficking task force.

Health care for trafficked victims

Researchers Laura J. Lederer and Christopher A. Wetzel found that 88 percent of the human trafficking survivors interviewed had contact with a health care professional while they were being trafficked, mainly in emergency departments. That means emergency department physicians and nurses have a unique opportunity to intercede.

Health care professionals have the advantage of being able to speak with patients alone and not alert the trafficker. Asking non-leading questions and using trauma-informed techniques can create an environment where victims feel they can disclose the abuse they experienced at the hands of their buyers and traffickers.

Questions about the victim’s safety, and that of other persons, should always be asked if health care professionals believe trafficking is happening.

Children who disclose having sex with multiple people over short periods of time, who are homeless or who show up with a non-relative that does not want to the leave the child alone should all be suspected of being trafficked.

Health care facilities across the country should be aware that there can be remarkable results from education about trafficking. In the graduate human trafficking course, I now offer, two students were able to identify two trafficking victims, who were subsequently rescued.

During a recent conference I host, a probation officer realized that one of her probationers was being trafficked. She was able to help her with the education she received at the conference.

This work can be emotionally exhausting. But my colleagues and I have seen immediate results for some trafficked victims and that keeps me working. I want to prevent further abuse like Zena suffered from occurring again – in my backyard and beyond.

About the Author

Laurie Charles, MSN, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P Clinical Assistant Professor, Registered Nurse, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Texas A&M University. Charles is affiliated with the International Association of Forensic Nurses as a member. The College of Nursing has received funding from the Texas Attorney General for contracted projects for deliverables from our program (as Co-Investigator).

]]>https://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/10/you-dont-have-to-look-far-to-find-human-trafficking-victims/feed/0Electricity grid Cybersecurity Will be Expensive. Who Will Pay, and How Much?https://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/10/electricity-grid-cybersecurity-will-be-expensive-who-will-pay-and-how-much/
https://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/10/electricity-grid-cybersecurity-will-be-expensive-who-will-pay-and-how-much/#respondTue, 08 Oct 2019 14:37:49 +0000https://www.hsfamerica.org/?p=2894by Dominic Saebeler and Manimaran Govindarasu theconversation.com Recently, a neighbor asked one of us whether Russia, China, North Korea and Iran really are capable of Read More ...

Recently, a
neighbor asked one of us whether Russia, China, North Korea and Iran really are
capable of hacking into the computers that control the U.S. electricity grid.
The answer, based on available evidence, is “Yes.” The follow-up question was,
“How expensive will it be to prevent, and who will end up paying for it?”

Electric power
companies’ high levels of performance depend on interconnected computer
systems, which are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Hackers took down portions of
Ukraine’s electricity grid in 2015 and 2016, cutting power to hundreds of
thousands of people. U.S. officials regularly report that foreign agents are
working to infiltrate critical infrastructure systems, like computers that
control the power grid. An as-yet-unspecified “cyber event” affected the power
grid in California and Wyoming in March 2019, according to the U.S. Department
Energy.

While media coverage and neighborly conversations have public
awareness of the risks to the grid, most people’s thinking hasn’t changed much.
People regularly evaluate how much they pay for car insurance, whether they
need to buy life insurance, what the risks are of a recommended medical
procedure or whether they feel safe flying in a Boeing 737 Max 8 airliner. But
they rarely consider whether they’re paying the right amount to ensure that the
lights come on when they’re needed.

But what about protection?

It can be difficult even for experts to keep track of all the potential risks to the grid, an interconnected set of industrial control systems. There are big threats from very rare events, like massive solar flares. And there are relatively minor threats from nearly certain incidents, like trees falling on wires. In between are cybersecurity concerns—which themselves can range from one individual hacker playing around to a national government orchestrating intrusion attempts into the national grid.

In a power outage, some lights are on, but others are not. Photo by Felix Lipov/Shutterstock.com

Now consider how much we, as consumers of utility service, might be willing to pay to protect against those dangers. Making a system more secure and reliable costs money, but often the economic benefits are hard to quantify. How much was saved by preventing a citywide blackout? Was it worth millions – or billions – of dollars invested in protection? Even if that could be calculated, it’s not easy to communicate effectively to the public, who regularly face many difficult choices about where to spend their limited money.

Snow, ice and trees are common threats to electrical systems. DejaVuDesigns/Shutterstock.com

Recouping the costs

Collectively, utility companies in the U.S. are already planning to spend billions of dollars a year on grid cyber defenses. Those investments will include securing locations and equipment, improving the security of the utility supply chain, and continuous training and workforce development. This spending in turn brings up another complication: Most electricity utilities are highly regulated by the government, so they have to provide a certain level of service and spend money on required compliance activities. In return, those utilities are permitted to recover a certain return on their investment.

When utility companies’ costs rise, they typically ask for permission from regulators to raise the prices they charge customers. What those customers can ask for, and in our view what regulators should insist on, is clear information about what those charges will be paying for.

Right now, there is ongoing research exploring what the best practices are for cyber defense of public utilities, but there is only limited useful information about what those measures should cost. Ultimately, consumers can reasonably expect to shoulder some of the cost – but should get as much information as possible about the benefits that will result from the rates they’re paying.

About the Article

This article was written in collaboration with Wei Chen Lin of the Illinois Commerce Commission.

About the Authors

Dominic Saebeler. Adjunct Instructor of Business Administration, University of Illinois at Springfield.

In addition to his academic affiliation, is Director of Cybersecurity and Risk Management at the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Manimaran Govindarasu. Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University. He receives funding from U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He is affiliated with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

]]>Homeland Security Foundation of America (HSFA) will host CyberSummit 2019 this month in Indiana for a discussion on cybersecurity vulnerability, identification, and remediation.

Indianapolis, IN, October 08, 2019–Today, the Homeland Security Foundation of America (HSFA) Office of Public Safety announced it will host its Aware Cyber campaign CyberSummit 2019 on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Indiana War Memorials Pershing Auditorium to have a discussion on cybersecurity vulnerability, identification, and remediation.

“With multiple facets of our society placed at risk, we need to be looking at Cybersecurity as the number one issue for both personal and national security,” said Oz Sultan, Board Member and Public Safety Committee member, HSFA.

HSFA officials confirm Nicholas Then, Director of Network Operations, Celedon Trucking Services, Bernardo Unzueta, Data Architecture and Analytics Lead Consultant, KSM Consulting, and Brian McGinnis, Partner, Barnes and Thornburg will be speaking at the summit along with representatives from the FBI and Indiana State Police.

“Cybersecurity is an important, ongoing discussion for HSFA,” said Eric Brown, President, HSFA. “It will continue to be a major part of our mission template, and we’ll disseminate relevant cybersecurity messaging to the public via all available channels. Articles on grid cybersecurity, online terrorism, and cyber risks appear in this Fall’s edition of Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America, so we hope individuals around the country, who cannot be present on the 29th in Indianapolis will download a free copy and join the discussion.”

This summit is free and open to the public. For more information and to register CyberSummit 2019, visit http://www.hsfa.us.

Founded in 2002, HSFA is an agency organized and certified as public, tax-exempt under IRC 501(c)(3) with 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) status. Its mission is to advance hometown security while protecting civil liberties. This mission is accomplished by the organization working with local, state and Federal agencies, organizations and communities to deliver life-saving public safety, energy security and health and human services programs to the public. HSFA is not a government agency. For more information about HSFA’s work in the community, visit https://www.hsfamerica.org.

Today, the Homeland Security Foundation of America
(HSFA) Office of Public Safety announced plans to host a town hall meeting at
the Adam’s Mark Hotel and Conference Center, located at 9103 E 39th St, Kansas
City, MO 6413317, on 22 May 2019, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to have a
discussion on active shooter awareness and preparedness.

“So far in 2019, 226 people have been killed and 95
wounded in 67 mass shootings according to the Gun Violence Archive,” said Eric
Brown, President, HSFA. “Preparedness saves lives. It’s heartbreaking to see
the number of incidents year over year since Sandy Hook. I cannot stress enough
the importance of active shooter awareness and preparedness training. We’re
thankful to continue to have support from experts at DHS CISA. I encourage you
to register and participate in our upcoming town hall to learn more on how to
survive active shooter attacks and to have your voice heard.”

HSFA officials have confirmed Chuck Clanahan, CPP, Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
(CISA) Protective Security Advisor (PSA) for the state of Kansas, will deliver
the keynote address. With 35 years’ experience in security, law enforcement,
risk management, and crisis preparedness, in a combination of both military and
federal service, Clanahan has a unique and extremely beneficial perspective to share
with participants.

“Since 2013, there’s been just one full calendar
week–the week of January 5, 2014–without a mass shooting,” said Brown. “The
threat of active shooters impacts us all. Through our Aware campaign,
individuals, who may not be exposed to public safety information during their
normal course of business, gain direct access to life-saving preparedness
strategies. We cannot share this information enough.”

Deputy Chief James Garrett (RET.), Kansas City,
Missouri Fire Department, Lt. Donald Powless (RET.) and Rick Tresnak of
Innovative Rescue Solutions will serve on the panel for a Q&A session with
attendees after the keynote address.

HSFA officials say the organization is working to
conduct active shooter awareness town hall meetings in all 435 congressional
districts. With immediate plans to serve hundreds of districts over the next
few years, HSFA has committed to continuing the Aware campaign, focusing on
active shooter awareness and preparedness, for as long as the threat exists.

The Aware public safety campaign is a series of
events, training opportunities and outreach activities conducted by HSFA
designed to increase the public’s awareness of active shooter threats and
preparedness strategies through community outreach and a series of town hall
meetings. For more information about the Aware campaign, visit https://www.hsfamerica.org/aware.

Founded in 2002, HSFA is an agency organized and
certified as public, tax-exempt under IRC 501(c)(3) with 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
status. Its mission is to advance hometown security while protecting civil
liberties. This mission is accomplished by the organization working with local,
state and Federal agencies, organizations and communities to deliver
life-saving public safety, energy security and health and human services
programs to the public. HSFA is not a government agency. For more information
about HSFA’s work in the community, visit https://www.hsfamerica.org.

]]>https://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/05/homeland-security-foundation-of-america-hsfa-brings-active-shooter-awareness-to-kansas-city/feed/0Important Updates to PVSAhttps://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/05/important-updates-to-pvsa/
https://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/05/important-updates-to-pvsa/#respondFri, 10 May 2019 13:50:54 +0000https://www.hsfamerica.org/?p=2368New Website Launching!Next week, a new website will launch for the President’s Volunteer Service Award, providing streamlined content and navigation, improved ordering and more! More than 500 Read More ...

New Website Launching!Next week, a new website will launch for the President’s Volunteer Service Award, providing streamlined content and navigation, improved ordering and more! More than 500 new organizations have already visited the website and we’re hearing great things. The web address will be https://www.presidentialserviceawards.org/, and you will automatically see this new site if you land on our old site at www.presidentialvolunteerserviceaward.gov.

For Volunteers With Hours Logged on the Existing Website: Must Read and Take Action!To streamline common customer service issues, increase oversight and enhance ordering for organizations, on the new website, volunteers will no longer be able to create accounts and track their hours. Moving forward, administrators of Certifying Organizations (CO’s) and Leadership Organizations (LO’s) should have volunteers send final information and must be able to certify that the hours reported are accurate. CO’s and LO’s must input these total hours into the site when placing an order. Use this spreadsheet throughout the year to track your organization’s volunteer hours, or send it out to your volunteers as the template to use along with due dates.

Volunteers who have logged hours on the existing website should access the site today and download an excel copy of your hours to date for your records. Below are three easy steps:

Administrators of Certifying Organizations can also login and download all volunteer hours from the Manage Your Volunteers tab.

Moving forward, be sure to log your own hours throughout the year and communicate with the organization you are volunteering for to understand when they need to turn them in. You can download volunteer hours tracking document here.

Thank you for all that you do for volunteers and check out our new site today!

]]>https://www.hsfamerica.org/2019/05/important-updates-to-pvsa/feed/0President’s Volunteer Service Award Recipients FY2018https://www.hsfamerica.org/2018/12/presidents-volunteer-service-award-recipients-fy2018/
https://www.hsfamerica.org/2018/12/presidents-volunteer-service-award-recipients-fy2018/#respondWed, 05 Dec 2018 00:21:05 +0000https://www.hsfamerica.org/?p=2058Volunteerism is one of the keys to strengthening America’s hometown security. The Homeland Security Foundation of America is pleased to announce the recipients of 2018’s Read More ...

]]>Volunteerism is one of the keys to strengthening America’s hometown security. The Homeland Security Foundation of America is pleased to announce the recipients of 2018’s President’s Volunteer Service Awards:

Gold Award

Libby Baird

Pierce DeFilippo

Varun Thotli

Silver Award

Tia Lidowski

Ethan Nguyen

Bronze Award

Connie Lerner

Dominique D. Sahms

If you know these volunteers, give them a warm, well-earned congratulations.

Award packages including awards have been ordered and shipped to the recipients.

Want to earn a President’s Volunteer Service Award for yourself or your group? Get involved.

As public health officials struggle to contain the Zika virus, science writer Sonia Shah tells Fresh Air’s Dave Davies that epidemiologists are bracing themselves for what has been called the next “Big One” — a disease that could kill tens of millions of people in the coming years.